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Imams join U.S. officials at Nazi sites

Organizers say they tried to pick imams from a wide range of American constituencies.

“The Muslim faith and community leaders represented the broad diversity of the Muslim-American community including Arab, South Asian, African-American, Caucasian, Sunni, Shiite, men, women, young and older established leaders,” Khan told POLITICO. “Most knew very little about the Holocaust, and all were eager to learn and personally witness the reality of this historical tragedy.”

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“There is a view among some people in the Jewish community that you should not meet with certain Muslims because they are in some way not worthy or they don’t meet the right criteria,” former Reagan special assistant Breger, now a professor of law at Catholic University, told POLITICO. But, he said, it was the trip organizers’ belief that “it is important to reach out to Muslims prepared to talk to us, people who are ready to open themselves to experiences which might be transformative for them — as occurred on this trip to Dachau and Auschwitz.”

At the sight of the imams praying in Dachau, Rosenthal said, “All of the tourists stopped in their tracks. I don’t think anyone has ever seen anything like it.”

In Poland, the group met with the chief rabbi of Poland as well as with the cardinal of Krakow. On the last night of the trip, Rosenthal said, the group went to an Iftar dinner at a Turkish mosque in Munich.

“It was truly an interfaith experience,” Rosenthal said. “There were representatives from the Catholic community, from the Jewish community and members of the mosque. It was wonderful. They were very curious about what we had just done. I am sure a number of them had no idea what we were talking about. How can you?”

“I can’t really put into words what we saw there,” Imam Suhaib Webb of Muslim Community Association in California, told POLITICO Wednesday. Webb, 38, originally from Oklahoma City, said he converted from Christianity to Islam. “I would have to say the sheer inhumanity of what we saw I was not able to comprehend — the systematic killing of people. … The whole time we were asking the rabbis, ‘why did they do this?’ ”

Webb said he and Rabbi Bemporad and Imam Muhamad Maged have discussed organizing future trips for Jewish and Muslim youth groups to Poland, Germany and Bosnia.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation was the sole sponsor of the trip. Suhail Khan's name was also spelled incorrectly.

Editor's note: After this story was published, Steve Emerson disputed the assertion that he lobbied against the trip. POLITICO tried to reach Emerson repeatedly before publication. In an email, Emerson wrote: “I never lobbied against the trip of the Imams. What I did was provide background material on 2 of the Islamic leaders attending the trip who had made anti-Semitic, radical Islamic statements or justified terrorist attacks. The request of me to provide background material on two Imams was made by one of the leaders of the trip. I never lobbied whatsoever against the trip—that statement is a blatant lie but pointed out the previous radical statements of these 2 Islamic leaders—something you somehow neglected to point out to your readers."

Emerson also said POLITICO's account failed to mention that he had "called the statement issued by Islamic clerics 'impressive' even though the full statement was replete with contrived statements falsely equating the notion of 'Islamophobia' with anti-Semitism and also omitting the fact that the Grand Mufti, Haj Al-Husseni, the leader of the Muslims in World War 2, actively collaborated with the Nazis.”

Goldman_Owned_Party: The only thing sadder than Fox News is the people that actually watch Fox News.

Yes, with the highest rated lineup in cable news, I guess you're right -- all those at liberal, socialist propaganda outlets: CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, PBS, & MSPMS, are VERY, VERY SAD because of Fox News' domination over them!!!

Just as with talk radio, conservatives, who base their shows on facts, outshine liberal windbags who thrive on political correctness, socialist principles, and hate. Just compare the success of Air America to Rush.

And now, FOX has a front row seat at the WH press!! FOX DOMINATES THE NEWS!!!!!!!!

You know, this was an awesome moment when people came together to recognize the world's most horrendous tragedy in recent times. I really appreciate Obama and our past administrations for participating in this event. Something positive happened I haven't really seen. Hopefully, the truth of these events will spread to dissuade the lies that have been propigated by the enemies of all (terrorists).

I just really wish this article wouldn't have been dirtied with Goldman_Owned_Party disrespectful comments having nothing to do with the subject matter. Instead of being a complacent complainer, go do something with your life to have a positive impact. Organize something positive that brings people together. What you did was nothing more than divisive in an article that was well written for an event that was long overdue. This was not the place to rant against Fox News (I don't watch it - nor do I care) or any other news organization. It had no relevance to the story and negates your intelligence, drive to make things better, and general good will. You are a shrill, sir. Go do something with your life.

Islam and Nazism were allied during WWII in the joint effort to exterminate the Jews. This is just PR spin and damage control. The vast majority of Islam is 100% in favor of Jewish extermination.

Funny how the American Left is so vehemently anti-Semitic and also calls for the destruction of Isreal. This probably dates back to their Soviet masters who also slaughtered the Jews by the tens of millions.

Have you read Obama's book? He wrote, "I will stand with the Muslims".

Obama's "YES WE CAN" is not working the way he promised.

Actually, the slogan for most Americans is "NO WE WON'T" believe anymore lies from this corrupt administration.

On August 16, 2010, Obama made good on his promise to help Congressional Democrats by headlining a glitzy Hollywood fundraiser in Beverly Hills, where he pleaded with donors to “make sure those who took the tough votes are rewarded.” He said, "Keeping Congress blue will be “my focus over the next several months” .

HOW WILL THIS DECREASE OUR DEFICIT???

So, he's going to spend the next several months fundraising for his Demo party??? When will he start doing his job and helping American citizens???

Shame on me for being "cynical", or is that "realistic", BUT the pronouncement that the Imans didn't "know about the holocaust" is, shall we say, "BS". Since the farce is "on", what might be the purpose? Is it perhaps, just maybe, evidence that islamists are advised to use deception when it suits theit purpose. Tell me it ain't so! Hmmm.... are we still in Kansas?

“I can’t really put into words what we saw there,” Imam Suhaib Webb of Muslim Community Association in California, told POLITICO Wednesday...“I would have to say the sheer inhumanity of what we saw I was not able to comprehend — the systematic killing of people. … The whole time we were asking the rabbis, ‘why did they do this?’ ”

And a common logical fallacy that many Faux viewers fall into rather easily is called ad populum, that is, believing something is proven because many people believe it. Seems right, but is a false as can be.

So these were allegedly educated people and Auschwitz was "something they knew nothing about"?

Did anyone bother to ask them what they had been taught, or what they believed had happened in Europe from 1938-54? Had they previously believed that all this genocide stuff was actually just a myth that the Jews had made up to obscure their plans for world domination of the banks and the media?

All glibness aside, one can only hope that this experience might actually lead to some understanding of the meaning of the State of Israel to the world, and not just to the Jewish people.

This article caught my eye and a part of me felt something good just happened. I might even have to admit that this is at least one good thing that this administration has accomplished. My feelings are that the good that comes is perhaps a first admission by Imam's, ON THE RECORD, that the holocaust actually happened, and that it was a human tragedy.

My disappointment was their addmission of not having heard of it before: either they are totally disingenuous, or totally ignorant of world history. Either case I have problems with.

Unlike others commenting on this thread, I have spent several years of my life living and working in and around the arabian penninsula and understand how the society works. Like anywhere else in the world you have good and bad people. Part of the problem in their society is that for all the wealth they are more stratified in their class structure and generally much more bigoted, racist and sexist than any other culture I have experienced.

Islam is NOT only a religion as compared to how many christians practice their faith, with Islam it necessarily dictates nearly every aspect of life and governance. Many of these dictates are in stark contrast to those accepted in the west. The Islamic faith cannot melt into our pot if they maintain a strict adherance to their faith. I accepted the notion that 'when in Rome,,,' whilst I lived in their country and respected their customs. I wish only that they would convey the same respect to our country , its laws,,,,and our customs.

America is unique in the world because of the BLENDING of our diverse immigrant cultures. What I fear is the Balkanization of our country, something already happening here today and very advanced in Europe. Immigrants are not assimilating, they are carving out their own sections of the countries they occupy.

This social, economic, and geographic isolation by race and creed, and culture is not healthy or productive for our society. Our hyper-sensitivity to respecting the beliefs and practices of others can make us appear weak and immoral in their eyes, fitting to be taken advantage of.

As I have aged I have come to believe more in the actions people take than the words they use. If in fact this Mosque is intended to 'bridge' our cultures I applaud the notion, I further respect their constitutional rights to build this Mosque where they choose,,,,but in as much as the events of 9-11 are not even ten years past, for many the wounds are still too fresh, the pain still to strong to accept this Mosque for what it is purported to represent. COMPASSION would dictate that they acquiesce and build it somewhere else.

Again, that would be an 'action' that would speak to our nation much louder than their 'words'.